Federal President: Steinmeier concerned about high AfD poll values

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has expressed concern about the high poll numbers of the AfD and warned against pure protest elections. In the ZDF summer interview, he supported the federal government in its rejection of cluster munitions. Climate protection was also an issue. What the Federal President says:

AfD poll high

“Yes, the polls are worrying,” said Steinmeier. “But they must not lead us to automatically classify every critical issue as populism and right-wing extremism.” At the same time, he emphasized that every voter takes responsibility for what he or she does – even if one “strengthens a party that contributes to the brutalization of the conflict”.

“We must not continue to promote the business of fearmongers in this society,” warned Steinmeier. “What we need is not an economy of fear-mongers, but an economy of problem-solvers. And it’s not as if we don’t have any of them.”

Traffic light and mood in the country

If large parts of the electorate turn away from the ruling parties and the largest opposition party does not win, this raises questions, Steinmeier said. “Of course governing parties also have to ask themselves, and they do, whether they have the right issues, whether issues are being left out, whether they are choosing the right communication, whether they are showing the unity that voters expect, or whether there’s too much fighting.” But he warns against always asking who is to blame. “Is it Habeck, is it Scholz, is it Lindner, is it Merz? I think we’re falling short.”

The mood in the country is also influenced by completely different things. “We are, we must not forget that, a society under stress,” said Steinmeier, pointing to the financial and euro crisis, the immigration of refugees, the corona pandemic and the Ukraine war. “These are extraordinary situations. You have to understand that people have questions.”

Ukraine war

Steinmeier made it clear that he does not approve of the USA’s planned delivery of cluster munitions, which are largely banned internationally. The position of the federal government to speak out against cluster munitions is still correct, he said. “But in the current situation, it cannot stand in the way of the United States.” Steinmeier pointed out that in Oslo in 2008 he signed the international agreement to outlaw cluster munitions as Germany’s foreign minister. “I’m biased.”

relationship with Russia

Steinmeier was open to a fundamental reappraisal of German relations with Russia up until the invasion of Ukraine. “Some things would also be corrected in this review, namely the impression that it was somehow a kind of naivety or even servility towards Russia. The opposite is the case.” Not only Germany, but also the USA and many other countries have tried to create a security architecture in Europe that includes Russia.

“It didn’t work in the end. We couldn’t do it either.” The lesson is that security in Europe will no longer be shared security with Russia, “but we will protect each other,” said Steinmeier.

climate protection

The interview was recorded in the Ahr Valley, where a flood two years ago caused severe devastation and cost 136 lives. You have to learn from it, Steinmeier demanded. “And the decisive message from this flood disaster is: The fight against climate change is necessary. In the end, we are not only protecting the climate, we are protecting ourselves.”